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Am I? I honestly don’t know.
Suffocating in this small room, I push past Zoey, desperate for some fresh air. I need a clear head to deal with what she’s about to share. The light streaming in from the large window burns my eyes. I shield them as I stagger down the corridor toward the glass door leading to the tranquil gardens. But the serenity does nothing to calm my nerves this time.
The moment the cool air hits my cheeks, I hiss at the bittersweet kiss. Regardless of the temperature, I tip my face to the heavens and take a moment to gather my thoughts. Clutching at the cross around my neck, I close my eyes and beg for divine intervention.
I know I don’t deserve it, but here, in this Godly place, maybe He will cut me a break. “Please, let it be true.”
Instead of being comforted by the hand of God, I’m assaulted by the tongue of the devil. “You need to get your shit together because you’re all I’ve got.”
My last tether snaps, and I swivel around, marching toward Zoey. Ready for war, she matches my stride. “How can I even believe you? You’re hardly a credible source,” I cry, stopping mere inches away from her.
She curls her lip, shaking her head in disbelief. “Do you really think I’d come here if it wasn’t true?”
“Honestly, I don’t know!” I spread my arms out wide, eyeing her something wicked. “You’d do anything to get back at me!”
She snarls and lunges forward, ready to rip the hair from my scalp. “Not about this! I would never lie about this.” Her anger simmers when she adds, “Never abouthim.”
And just like that, Zoey and I find common ground.
I take a step back. She does the same.
With the tension still pulsating between us, we take a moment to calm down. However, I never take my eyes off her, and neither does she. We are thrown into this without a choice, but to save him, we will have to do something blasphemous—we will have to work together.
“You can hate me all you want, but we want the same thing.” Her determination reveals she’s telling the truth.
A heavy staccato rules my heart, and a wave of adrenaline overtakes me. She’s right. To help Saint, we will have to put our differences aside. But the thought of us being on the same side leaves a bitter aftertaste because I willnevertrust her.
“Tell me everything,” I demand, uncaring that my teeth chatter from not only the cold but also my fear.
“So you believe me?”
“I’ll decide that once I hear what you have to say.”
Zoey’s cheeks billow as she commences her tale. “Alek discarded me as if I meant nothing more to him than trash. Do you realize how that made me feel?” she says, her tone filled with hurt and anger.
I fold my arms across my chest, hinting for her to go on because I’m not here to console her.
When she reads my disinterest in her sob story, she continues. “But it was the best thing he ever did because Saint took me into the mountains and helped me heal. He brought me to a ???????.”
When I arch a brow, she clarifies, “A healer. Or some may even call her a witch doctor. He didn’t take me to a clinic or rehab because he knew I’d escape. He knew I’d bribe my way back to Alek.” When her eyes drift over my head, I realize we’re no longer alone.
“??????? was a tough bitch. She didn’t take my crap. I hated her, and I hated Saint for taking me to her, but neither gave up on me. No matter how many times I tried to escape, Saint found me and brought me back. The terrain was cruel, so without a map or a soul in sight, I had nowhere to go.
“At first, I refused any help. When ??????? forced her disgusting home remedies down my throat, I fought with every ounce of strength I had in me. But after a while, I knew I was no match for her, and I gave in.”
“What does that name mean?” I ask, watching as something foreign happens to Zoey—she smiles.
“Grandmother. But don’t let the name fool you. Nothing is grandmotherly about her. Anyway,” she says, clearing her throat, disregarding her obvious sentiment for this woman. “Once the drugs were out of my system, I was left to deal with what I had done. With what was done to me.”
She casts her eyes downward; the first sign that a broken girl lies beneath her venom.
“There is no remedy to cure the damage done to your head. And heart,” she adds, lifting her eyes and locking them on Alek, who stands behind me. “But after all this time, I remembered who I was. And that’s a Hennessy. I’m a daughter. A sister. I matter. And regardless if I didn’t matter to the man I loved, I will never forget who I am ever again.”
“Zoey…” Alek’s voice cuts through the air like a knife, but she holds up her hand, proving that the lessons learned have shaped her into this fierce woman before us. He no longer has any control over her.
Kudos to her.
“??????? helped me to heal my body and soul. She helped me find the person I once was. And so did Saint. He never gave up on me. God knows he should have left years ago, but he never did. And now, I owe him the same.
